Stop gender-based violence at work: the ITUC campaign

Stop gender-based violence at work: the ITUC campaign

Ahead of the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) annual International Labour Conference (ILC) the ITUC has launched a new campaign to build critical support for the adoption of an ILO Convention, accompanied by a Recommendation, on “Violence and harassment against women and men in the world of work”, with a strong focus on the gender dimension of violence.

Whilst both women and men experience violence and harassment in the world of work, unequal status and power relations in society and at work often result in women being far more exposed to violence and harassment. Gender-based violence remains one of the most tolerated violations of workers’ human rights. According to statistics, 35% of women - 818 million women globally - over the age of 15 have experienced sexual or physical violence at home, in their communities or in the workplace.

Yet there is still no law at the international level that sets a baseline for taking action to eradicate violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment, in the world of work. The ILO is working towards such a law, through what is known as a “standard-setting” process. The eventual standard(s) adopted by the ILO may be a binding instrument, known as a Convention; non-binding guidance, known as a Recommendation; or a Convention accompanied by a Recommendation.You can find more information on the campaign here.

SOLIDAR has a long-standing tradition of participating in the ILC, as it recognises the central role of this UN Agency in promoting social justice and peace through the adoption of international standards on social and labour policies and the monitoring of their full application by its members. The adoption of a new ILO Convention with Recommendation on “Violence and harassment against women and men in the world of work” would represent another key step towards more gender justice.